Great, let them blow their money. They will not invade the US... To invade another nation, so far from home requires a economy which cannot be wiped out in a manner of a few hours...

If the Russians were to invade the US, you turn the keys, launch the nukes and kiss your children good buy. If Russia understands that this is a automated process by which we all die, the Russians will never invade, because they like we love their kids, like we love breathing fresh air, like we... Generally the Russians who decide things in Russia like living.

Now if you are talking in ways of absolutes... Obviouslly placing an end to training, means that you will still have a military for the next 3-6 years. It will be downsized over time, but you will still have people reenlisting.

As such, the trimming of the fat, but the maintaining of our nuclear strike arm to protect the US will cut billions and maintain our physical security.

As for resources in the middle east? Well, you will just have to learn to do business fairly and not at the point of an American gun, tank or bomber. It is their resources, not ours, theirs to set the prices for, not ours.

You talk of free market economies, but fail to prove it can work by the very nature that you would use your guns to ensure that the oil stays in the hands of those who you want it to... Thus a price you want.

Free markets are markets which you aren't threatening to drop your shield of protection if the price becomes too high.

Hazle Township PA

Username hidden
(7989 posts)

User Details are only visible to members.

Robert here is one for you;

MOSCOW (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin told the country's top brass on Wednesday to drastically upgrade the armed forces in the next few years as part of response to attempts by the United States and NATO to "tip the strategic balance" in the world. In his address to Russia's defense ministry and top military officials, Putin said Russia is witnessing "insistent attempts" to change that balance and complained about U.S. plans to create a new missile defense system in Europe and the potential expansion of NATO to former Soviet republics. "Geopolitical developments call for our response to be well-calculated and quick," Putin said, according to a transcript of his speech on the Kremlin's website. "The Russian armed forces must move to a dramatically new level of capabilities as soon as in the next three to five years." The stated goal of the multibillion-dollar missile defense system planned for Europe is to protect the U.S. from Iranian missiles. But Russia has repeatedly criticized the plan, claiming it really is intended to counter its own missiles. Putin blasted the legacy of former Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov who was dismissed in November 2012 amid a corruption scandal involving billions of rubles reportedly embezzled by the ministry and affiliated firms. While Putin linked the ouster to the corruption probe, most experts believe that Serdyukov was sacked because of an intensifying behind-the-scenes battle for the distribution of 23 trillion rubles ($750 billion) that the Kremlin plans to spend on buying new weapons through 2020. Serdyukov demanded higher quality and cheaper prices from the military industry, often refusing to sign new contracts for months. He criticized arms makers for continuing to produce Soviet-era designs instead of developing new weapons, angering industry leaders with strong Kremlin connections. Under Serdyukov, the military purchased amphibious assault vessels from France, bought Israeli drones, Italian armored vehicles and other foreign weapons. The current defense minister, Sergei Shoigu, has confirmed plans to form a new naval squadron that would patrol the Mediterranean Sea. A small maintenance and supply base in Syria's Tartus, Russia's only naval outpost outside the former Soviet Union, is under threat because of the civil war there.

Berryville VA

Username hidden
(1750 posts)

User Details are only visible to members.

Robert more fantasies.

Berryville VA

Username hidden
(1750 posts)

User Details are only visible to members.

Mark:

1) the politicians would get off their ass if they knew that the president would close bases.

2) foreign powers won't invade, namely because almost no one has a military which would allow it. Russia and china combined can't power project and it would take six years before every military officer and enlisteds contract expired.

3) I did say that the president would make the military work on retention.

4) if and this is a big if. Russia or china did have power projection, understand the only Method of stoping either nation is to turn the damned nuclear launch keys. Even during the height of the cold war, the US couldn't defend Europe beyond 30 days... Just long enough to draft every male between 15 and 45 and send them over with every weapon that the US had. (to include private weapons)

We wound still have been out numbered in Europe and that was only 20% of the soviets total military might... The bulk was along the Russian/china boarder and in the 80s Afghanistan.

So after day 25 it becomes begging for peace or turn the nuclear launch keys. The soviet union is dead, Russia has a nice defenseive military, but NO MEANS to project it into the US.

So who is it that you are afraid of? Seriouslly? Mexico? Another south American country? They've already invaded and won that war, you just haven't noticed it.

China cant invade because of the same problems that the Russians have, no mass carrying ability, no power projection ability. Only a nuclear strike arm.

So please get out of your cold war mentality, it is counter productive in both the economic sense and the creation of peace.

In truth, we ought to be concerned with our own regional issues like centeral and south America and let china deal with the middle east.... Brutal people can only be dealt with by another more brutal force. China cant live without our dollar, so they will do business, not war.

Want to complain about their economic power? Blame yourself. Blame the people you elect, they allowed business men like romney to send our jobs to china.

Hazle Township PA

Username hidden
(7989 posts)

User Details are only visible to members.

Wow. Robert just stated it is quite OK for any country to invade as there will not be any US military to defend us.

Tulare CA

Username hidden
(1880 posts)

User Details are only visible to members.

Norc:

Easy work around. He simply orders the military to stop recruitment. Problem solved. This is within his powers. Now these training bases become useless and he can legitly close them as per making the cuts congress won't.

The president ought to tell congress that if they dont like where he will pull the cuts from, to challenge it and then drag the congressmen who challenge it through the mud and keep cutting or closing federal buildings in their districts so to keep reducing the deficet.

It is called playing hard ball. The job of the president and why we kept a quasi king... So that like Rome, when the congress/senate becomes unstable or ineffective... We still retain leadership of some kind.

If the congressmen had done their jobs, the cuts woukdnt have been necessary. Why target red states? Because they vote into office radicals and need to learn what radical really is.

Hazle Township PA

Username hidden
(7989 posts)

User Details are only visible to members.

Robert you are so fucking stupid. I would hope the President would pull some bases out of Texas and locate them near Hazel Township Penn. You see Texas does have some very big cities. But most of Texas is vast and open range with very little population. Kind of a good area for student pilots to learn how to fly C-130 Gun Ships (Puff), KC-135 Tankers full of fuel. Students learning to fly fighter jets. Air Defense Artillery ranges and such. Robert seems to think it would be a good idea for student pilots to take off and land over Hazel. And to have students firing the massive weapons Puff has in and around there too. Not to mention the target drones and missile debris falling out of the sky from ADA shoot downs.

Tulare CA

Username hidden
(1880 posts)

User Details are only visible to members.

robert obama can not get away with that. he may try but then this little constitutional thing come into play about who must initiate the funding or not on everything, like obama care. The house has just a little to say about that, per the constitution.

Red Bluff CA

Username hidden
(438 posts)

User Details are only visible to members.

Norc:

Well of texans don't want to play ball. Obama ought to cut funding for the bases in Texas. Like fort hood, lackland, and the two or three others. With the cuts coming, I would stop all future recruitment and work on retention of personal rather than acquiring new.

Then sell the excess equipment to fools stupid enough to buy over priced weapons we can destroy from 30,000 feet and out of their range anyway.

Even if Texas is self sustaining, the loss of those bases would devestate local areas, this will have a rippling effect across the state and when the funding did return... Building projects to move the bases into more friendly states would promote jobs where the people were inline with his ideals.

Trust me, as the commander and chief of the military, Obama has yet to use the bully pulpit.

Hazle Township PA

Username hidden
(7989 posts)

User Details are only visible to members.

We get down to Texas now and then. I don't think you know enough Texans. They can be a royal pain in the butt but they are all proud Texans and not going to walk the blue party line anytime soon. They love their God, their guns, and their way of life and no blue folks are going to change that.